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Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Glove

8
£54.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Great pair of gloves that keep out wintry weather while maintaining warmth – innovative use of pads too
Impressive warmth and weather protection
BioXCell padding reduces numbness
Easy to take off and put on
Grippy palms
BioXCell padding on the outside of the palm won't suit everyone
Weight: 
135g

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As well as having a very long name, the Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Gloves are comfortable, warm, and keep out the weather. The pad on the outside of the palm is fairly pronounced, which won't be to everybody's taste, but I found it helped noticeably with reducing fatigue in the hands.

For more options, check out our guide to the best winter cycling gloves.

> Buy now: Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Gloves for £48.99 from Sprockets UK

First off, they're very warm without being overly bulky, which is often an issue with winter gloves; they're not exactly slimline, but still allow a certain amount of dexterity and movement.

This warmth comes from a combination of things. Firstly, the Primaloft Gold Bio insulation used in the lining across the top of the hands, which keeps heat in. I have a number of products that contain this, from coats through to tights, and it is impressive in the amount of warmth it keeps in without adding much bulk at all.

The upper material is also windproof and waterproof. I used the gloves in wet and windy conditions, as well as several cold descents, and they worked well. I didn't use them in full-on torrential showers, but in extended drizzly weather they kept my hands warm and dry impressively well.

The gloves get the BioXCell part of their name from Chiba's system designed to prevent your hands from going numb over long rides. The padding on the outside of the knuckles is matched to a pad in the same position on the palm, and results in reduced movement in that area. It's a bit of a trade-off between reducing impact and reducing movement, but I did notice that on longer rides the kind of cramp and numbness I often get in that area was reduced.

2022 Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Glove - padding.jpg

It won't suit everyone – if you want more dexterity you could find it a little restrictive – but if you also suffer similar issues on longer rides you might appreciate it.

2022 Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Glove - reflective padding.jpg

Chiba has also used a rubberised slip-proof material on the palm to increase grip on the bars. This worked well, with noticeably good grip even in cold and wet conditions. It doesn't let water in through the palm either, which is a bonus.

2022 Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Glove - palm.jpg

There are also touchscreen elements on the fingertips that work well, although as usual with winter gloves, they don't enable particularly accurate pressing. But I could quite easily do things like zoom in and out on a phone or operate a bike computer.

2022 Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Glove - fingers.jpg

Getting the gloves on and off is simple, and they're secured with a Velcro strap around the wrists. This seals them well enough to prevent cold air getting in, but in heavier rainfall some water came through if I wore them over the sleeves of my jacket.

The cuffs are quite long – designed to keep your wrist, and therefore your hands, warm (Chiba calls it a 'puls warmer') – but they're slimline enough to easily fit under most jacket sleeves.

2022 Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Glove - velcro.jpg

Taking the gloves off is a cinch thanks to a pull tab at the end of the palm – and this also adds cushioning around where you grip the hoods, which is a nice touch.

2022 Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Glove - tab.jpg

Value

The gloves have an rrp of £54.99 which, although not cheap, is fairly competitive compared with others we have tested recently.

The DexShell Ultra Weather Winter Gloves are a tenner less – they've gone up to £45 since Neil tested them – but he had issues with dampness inside and the touchscreen elements not working well, and he found them difficult to take off. The Chibas don't suffer from any of these problems.

> Winter cycling clothing – 49 of the warmest garments you can buy

Liam reviewed the Bontrager Velocis Softshell Cycling Gloves in 2021. They offer a broadly similar set of qualities, but look much bulkier and the wrist area is less slimline, plus they're currently £64.99.

Our favourite winter gloves overall are a lot cheaper – Galibier's Barrier Deep Winter Gloves are just £28.68 – but they don't have touchscreen compatibility.

Conclusion

Overall I was impressed with the Chibas. They're warm and weatherproof, keeping out everything a December in the UK could throw at them. The BioXCell padding is an interesting addition, too, being used not only on the palm but also on the top of the glove, and it really does seem to reduce cramps and aches. It won't be for everybody given the reduction in dexterity, but for me it's a price worth paying.

Verdict

Great pair of gloves that keep out wintry weather while maintaining warmth – innovative use of pads too

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Chiba Bio-X-Cell Winter Warm-Line Thermal Waterproof Glove

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

As the name suggests, they're thermal winter gloves designed for warmth and comfort. They also have some innovative padding placement for reducing fatigue in your hands.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Chiba's UK distributor Bob Elliot lists these features:

Tophand made of windproof and breathable Stretch-Fabric with waterproof membrane

Palmhand made of slip-proof Griptec

BioXCell-Padding - 2 stage, anatomically shaped gel padding prevents the hands from getting numb

Precurved fingers

Tophand with lining made of extra warm PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Bio

Reinforced thumb area

Neoprene puls warmer prevents the hands from cooling down quickly

Touchfinger to operate smartphones

"Easy-Clip" - glove connector

Puller

Washable at 30 °C

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

They seem well made.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

They kept my hands warm and dry throughout testing, while also being very comfortable to wear. They're relatively low profile, maintaining warmth without adding excessive bulk.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Rubberised palm gives them extra protection in an an area where they're likely to wear quickest. I didn't see any loose stitching or anything that gave me cause for concern in a month or so of testing.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10

Very comfortable – that pad arrangement won't be for everybody, but for me there was a noticeable difference in hand fatigue.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Easy – washable at 30 and just stick on a radiator to dry.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well. They kept my hands warm and dry while reducing the strain on the outside of my hands too.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The grip on the palms.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The pads definitely help reduce fatigue in the hands, but they do impact dexterity.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

The DexShell Ultra Weather Winter Gloves are a tenner cheaper – they've gone up to £45 since Neil tested them – but he had issues with dampness inside and the touchscreen elements not working well, and he found them difficult to take off. The Chibas don't suffer from any of these problems.

Liam reviewed the Bontrager Velocis Softshell Cycling Gloves in 2021. They offer a broadly similar set of qualities, but look much bulkier and the wrist area is less slimline, plus they're currently £64.99.

Galibier's excellent Barrier Deep Winter Gloves are just £28.68, but they don't have touchscreen compatibility.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

They're very good. They keep out the weather and keep in the warmth. The innovative use of pads to support the hand and reduce fatigue works, but won't be for everyone given the reduction in dexterity as a result.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: CAAD13  My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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3 comments

Avatar
andystow | 12 months ago
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I've re-read this a half dozen times, studied the photos, I even went to Chiba's website, but I can't figure out what this means.

"The padding on the outside of the knuckles is matched to a pad in the same position on the palm..."

There is no position on my palm that is somehow the same as a position on the outside of my knuckles. Nor does the outsides of my knuckles need any padding except in case of a crash, as they don't touch my bars.

Avatar
George Hill replied to andystow | 12 months ago
0 likes

The pads are opposite one another on the top and bottom of the glove - so they essentially envelop the outside of your hand from both sides.

The pads on the top of the hand are just there to support in conjunction with those on the bottom, I don't think they're meant to offer protection.

Avatar
Freddy56 | 12 months ago
0 likes

Love the padding on these. I ride on the hoods 95% of the time and these would suit me great

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